Thank you to Lume Books for providing me with a free copy of Saskia Swann & Nicola Stow’s book, Above and Beyond: Secrets of a Private Flight Attendant, in exchange for an honest review.

Londoner Saskia Swann was a commercial airline flight attendant, who was having a ball traveling around the world, partying at exclusive clubs and dining in fancy restaurants. The job was amazing, but she found it difficult to indulge in a young flight attendant lifestyle on her low salary. Quickly, she racked up thousands in debt by using her credit card to pay for things, such her lavish wardrobe. Realizing that her situation was spiraling out of control, Swann quit her flight attendant job to find something more sustainable.

Shortly after quitting, she met a man in a bar who had a connection in the private flight industry. Swann is immediately interested when she learns that the pay is much higher and it will allow her to continue in a profession that she loves. She is given a three week trial on the private jet of a wealthy Russian man.

Swann soon learns that being a private flight attendant is very different than a commercial flight attendant. Privacy is a must and beyond signing non-disclosure agreements, she can’t even tell her family or friends about her flight routes. The requests of her bosses can be both demanding and change on a whim. She must turn a blind-eye to affairs, treating her bosses wife and mistress with equal respect, depending on whom is aboard the plane. The stakes are further raises, when Swann learns that her boss expects a “little extra” from his flight attendants and he has his eyes on her.

Swann’s memoir hooked me. It’s scandalous and shocking. I have a weak spot for memoirs that give me a glimpse into other professions or lifestyles, and this memoir hit that mark. I read it in a single afternoon, unable to resist reading “just one more chapter.”

Beyond the shock-value of the memoir, I was gripped to the pages because of Swann. She’s likable and I felt compassion for her situation. I believe that Stow was primarily responsible for both shaping Swann’s memoir and with a bulk of the actual writing. To this end, Stow’s descriptions and scene settings were fabulous. I was reading Above and Beyond at a break-neck speed, yet I found myself pausing to admire the writing, which is honestly something that I don’t often notice in memoirs.

If you’re looking for a fun, yet affecting memoir, I recommend adding Above and Beyond to your list. It is also the perfect read for travel season.

Saskia Swann is a former commercial flight attendant who finds herself deep in debt and not many prospects to pay it off and set herself up with a more solid future. She stops by one of her local watering holes to drown her sorrows and ends up meeting a stranger that she feels so comfortable with that she spills her lives story including her financial struggles. This stranger may turn out to be a savior when he introduces her with the possibility to work as a corporate flight attendant. This is world ruled by multi-millionaires and billionaires who at times seem to have more money then sense at times. This flight attendants have the jobs to cater to their every whim whether it be crazy amounts of the finest food and drink to keeping their planes immaculate to the point of keeping secrets of affairs by going through the plane looking for stray strands of hair. This world allows the author to fly allover the world and experience some of the finer things in life and get paid for it. But nothing in life comes for free and there maybe hidden cost in this world for Saskia and her friends and co-workers.
This is a good overall read. Thank you to Netgalley and Lume Books for an ARC for a fair and honest review.

With a name like Saskia Swann, you just know you're destined to live the high life in one way or another. I really enjoyed reading this book. It had everything I expected it to have - though it was actually more tame than I would have thought. I enjoyed Saskia's voice, she is witty, kind-natured & has a vulnerability that is so endearing. I am so glad she found her strength in the end. Great book!

*Thank you so much to Lume Books, the author and NetGalley for granting me a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

When grabbing a memoir, sometimes it's hard to know what you're getting. I typically start with a little trepidation, not sure what writing style or story type I'm getting. <b>I found this to be a surprisingly easy to read, engaging story.</b> I loved Saskia and her wit and humor. I found her stories so fascinating, her details well done and all of it added to the story. Her side stories about her fellow co-workers added a good depth to the story and really helped bring it alive.

Being a flight attendant for the rich and famous (or even just the rich) isn't something many of us have thought of or, obviously experienced, so I love that this author shared her stories with us. I really loved this one!

<i>A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.</i>

Harking back to a golden age of Pan-Am style air travel, this memoir is packed full of details of the glamorous excess of the jet-set lifestyle. It is written in a way that feels less stodgy memoir, but more an extended gossip session with a worldly adventurous friend over a cocktail in a smoky bar. This is reminiscent of the Babylon series (Hotel Babylon, Air Babylon, Fashion Babylon), giving a glimpse into how the other half live, and will appeal to anyone loving shows like Selling Sunset.

I loved this book! If you have ever wondered what really happens as a Flight Attendant, then you need to read this book and fast. It pulled me in from the first chapter. This book is different because it takes you into the behind the scenes. You will feel like your right in the middle of everything that is happening. I am going to buy this book for my collection as soon as possible.

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction
Saskia had been working as a flight attendant on commercial airlines for six years when a chance meeting in a London bar bags her the job of her dreams and she becomes a flight attendant onboard a luxury private jet. This memoir gives us the insiders view of what really goes on board those jets and the extravagant lifestyles of the super-rich who think nothing of changing plans at the last second even if it means weeks of planning and £40,000 are wasted! But Saskia also exposes the darker side of this life where you can be fired at the drop of a hat for the tiniest of reasons. The pressure the attendants are under, having to remember and cater for every foible of their employers, not to mention the ‘extras’ that are sometimes expected. What really impressed me though was the way all the cabin crew helped each other and the camaraderie between the attendants. There did not seem to be any bitchiness or jealousy which was refreshing.
I found this to be a really well written, enjoyable, humorous, but at times cautionary tale, which gives a peak inside the lives of the super-rich.

As soon as I saw this cover I knew I had to read this ! Reality tv/ celeb memoirs are my guilty pleasure and this seemed like pure escapism which it was .
I had read a newspaper interview with Saskia so I was aware of her story being published and she came across well in the article so I couldn’t wait to read more . After having accepted a job as part of the crew for a private jet we get given an insiders view of what really goes on ... its shocking, scandalous , funny with plenty of omg moments but at the same time it’s not a trashy read .
What I loved was that it actually reads like fiction and it would make for a perfect beach read , easily read in a couple of sessions .
Thank you net galley for my eArc .

I didn't read the abstract for this book so I only had a small idea of what I was going to be reading, but it still didn't play out the way I thought it would. I thought, in reading this book, that it might be somewhat like the memoir 'Orange is the new black' - meaning, all the excess and jet setting would eventually catch up to them and that something... well, not jail, per se - but that something awful would happen. But that wasn't the case. So if you love to read about The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, then this book is right up your alley.

This witty novel delves deep Into the world of flying private - and all of the dirty (and sometimes filthy) secrets it beholds. Saskia is up to her eyeballs In debt when she gets what she thinks is the gig of a lifetime - working as a flight attendant for a billionaire on his private jet. Soon, she’s rocking her Prada uniform and heading off to exotic locales - but pretty quickly she learns that there are no rules when it comes to billionaires and private jets — and their employees.

This deeply engrossing novel will have you laughing out loud, grossed out and feeling all the emotions for Saskia throughout.

I think the easiest way to describe this book is…if you saw it, looked at it and thought ‘I bet I know what that will be like’….you would be 100% right, if that excites you then this is for you
It is a non stop ride of excess,excess and errr excess that includes food, clothes, sex and basically excess in every way possible….all told by ‘Saskia’ a private flight attendant, I quite liked her and enjoyed her story telling although did feel she ‘protesteth too much’ about all she saw whilst gladly joining in when it was offered
It’s fun and frisky and I think the biggest surprise for me was by the end instead of feeling envious of all these people had I kinda felt sorry for them and wondered if they ever just fancied egg, chips and beans and some irn bru
If this is what you love to read about then its a perfect book and have to give it top marks as it does exactly as it says its going to

10/10
5 Stars

No surprises with this read, you are expecting an insight to a world full of glamour and luxury not accessible to most of us and Saskia does not dissapoint. Above and Beyond is more than just glamour and gossip, Saskia also exposes the darker side of the industry - the "extras" that are sometimes expected by the wealthy clients and the pressure put upon the attendants with the risk of losing their jobs for the smallest error.
Amusing and well written.

I was given a copy of Above and Beyond by NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

3.5 Be Careful What You Wish For Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
Once upon a time, in another life, long, long ago, I was a flight attendant for a major airline. Yup, I flew the skies and it was an adventure...to a degree. I only did it for about a year due to my meeting my hubby...but that is another story. I mention all of this due to the fact, this is a biography of a flight attendant who started out like I did but moved to work privately owned jets.

Those puppies are a whole other animal...and this book goes about sharing all the good the bad and the very ugly. It is like the saying goes...when times were good they were very, very good...
But when times were bad or ugly or demeaning, it seemed there were no limits as to what these entitled wealthy people would demand.

A Cautionary Tale, the extremely rich are different and may not have it as lovely as we think...

I love a bit of juicy gossip, this book delivers!

Saskia tells the good and bad of life as an air hostess. The honesty of the job not being as well paid and glamorous as most people believe, is told bluntly and superbly! When Saskia takes a job on a private jet, details are juicy, it’s amazing to hear about the lives of the rich and famous, you won’t be disappointed!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

An interesting look at the life of a private jet Flight Attendant. Saskia's memoir has some good and funny stories, but at times it did drag a bit. I liked seeing a glimpse of the rich and the famous. I would have liked more personal stories/incidents, but it was a good, overall read especially if you love to travel. Three stars. .

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the e-book in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book! When I was a child I thought the life of a flight attendant would be so exciting! This book showed that for Saskia Swann it was very exciting - flying to exotic places, staying in expensive hotels. It also showed that the job is a lot of hard work, stressful and sometimes heartbreaking. This story moved quickly and was well written. I would recommend it to anyone who finds the life of a flight attendant to be interesting. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Above and Beyond is the memoir of Saskia Swann, flight attendant to the rich and famous.
This book shows you what it’s like to be cabin crew aboard private jets.

I loved this book and read it in one sitting. Even though it is a memoir it reads like a fiction book.

What surprised me was the camaraderie between the female flight attendants. They became like family and had each others backs at all times. They were supportive and caring. I can imagine not all cabin crew are like this and that jealousy and bitchiness can occur.

You can see by reading this book how girls can easily get sucked into a life of living beyond their means. And may do whatever it takes to keep the money coming in to pay for that lifestyle.

Absolutely loved this book.

The #MeToo movement took down some rich Hollywood players. However, it failed to stop the “Coffee, Tea or Me?” world of luxurious private jet travel. In Above and Beyond, the author tells a tale of just how high-flying Russian oligarchs really are and how the flight attendants must cater to their every need. Picture crawling around the carpet looking for a blond mistress’ hair so the oligarch’s brunette wife doesn’t realize she is not alone in the mile-high club on the plane. Not that the job is just detective work. No, you may be asked to clean a toilet wearing your Prada suit. Or to “service” your boss for expensive presents. No request is too much for these executive “trolley dollies”.

The rich really are different. Here is your chance to step beyond their velvet rope. At the same time, I felt sorry for the author who is pressured into sex in order to keep her job. With all the talk about non-disclosure agreements, I wonder how much of this story has been redacted or changed to appease the lawyers. Still, Above and Beyond is an entertaining story. 4 stars!

Thanks to Lume Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a fun read, which almost seemed too crazy to be true. Many times I found myself in disbelief that I was reading a memoir. I suppose the old adage is true - sometimes the truth IS stranger than fiction! I had to keep turning the pages to find out what crazy thing would happen next! This was a great behind the scenes look at what life is like for a flight attendant on a private plane.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I definitely liked this one. The prologue just hit different but first chapters were kind of a slow burn for me. I liked the book overall and I greatly appreciated a peek into the life of a stewardess on a private jet.